Neck Finish Question Please.

proggy

I've sanded one of my guitar necks down to the bare wood and really like the feel of it.

Would it be safe to leave it like this, or will I need to put something on it?

Thanks.

paulnb57

I would put something on, otherwise it will soak up body oils and sweat and get grubby and awful, for a smooth, minimal finish I like 2 coats of Tru Oil.

digitalscream

paulnb57 said:

I would put something on, otherwise it will soak up body oils and sweat and get grubby and awful, for a smooth, minimal finish I like 2 coats of Tru Oil.

This. For the Jaden Rose kit build, I ran down to Homebase and grabbed a can of Danish Oil - it was a tenner. Removed the neck, removed all the hardware, masked off the fretboard, sanded to 400, couple of thin coats of oil (the second one rubbed in with 800 grit), a light sand at 1200 and job done.

This may or may not be the recommended way, but I'm a complete amateur and it turned out OK

proggy

Thanks lads, I thought I might have to put something on it. Oil it is then.

Creed_Clicks

Sill question, some of the squiers, the bottom of the line ones, the necks feel like they are bare wood, but I take it they just have the bare minimum of coating on them? 
I have the squier bronco bass, and I like the feeling the neck has, as if it's unfinished.

Andyjr1515

digitalscream said:

paulnb57 said:

For the Jaden Rose kit build, I ran down to Homebase and grabbed a can of Danish Oil - it was a tenner. Removed the neck, removed all the hardware, masked off the fretboard, sanded to 400, couple of thin coats of oil (the second one rubbed in with 800 grit), a light sand at 1200 and job done.This may or may not be the recommended way, but I'm a complete amateur and it turned out OK

Pretty much what I do nowadays...

As you say, you can still slurry and buff Danish Oil but it is a bit harder wearing than Try-oil for a neck.  I love the tru-oil slurry and buff finish but after some hard playing over time I always find I have to re-buff it.  No big problem, but I find Danish Oil just that bit more resilient. 

For a body, though, I would usually go the Tru-oil route...

Mark1960

I've just finished a neck for a guitar I'm building, and like you don't like a sticky varnish feel, so I have varnished the neck with two coats of satin varnish, cut 50/50 with white spirit. This protects the wood, but with no build up of varnish and feels natural.

Roland

Danish Oil isn’t a single recipe, so unless you stick with one manufacturer’s product you won’t get a consistent finish. Having experimented with a couple of similar products I’m now using Osmo Polyx 3032 which doesn’t colour the wood as much as Tru-Oil, unless you add pigment. It also dries and hardens more quickly.

proggy

Thanks for all your advice, I've ordered a bottle of Tru-Oil off the net and I'll have a go with that for starters.
Is it totally necessary to buff the neck with fine grade wire wool afterwards? That's what I've read.

Corvus

Creed_Clicks said:

Sill question, some of the squiers, the bottom of the line ones, the necks feel like they are bare wood, but I take it they just have the bare minimum of coating on them? 
I have the squier bronco bass, and I like the feeling the neck has, as if it's unfinished.

They have a matt or satin catalysed polyurethane on them. Although people call body paint polyurethane as well its usually 2k (uk term) or catalysed urethane in America. They're different things in other words.

paulnb57

proggy said:

Thanks for all your advice, I've ordered a bottle of Tru-Oil off the net and I'll have a go with that for starters.
Is it totally necessary to buff the neck with fine grade wire wool afterwards? That's what I've read.

I never have....

charlola

paulnb57 said:

proggy said:

Thanks for all your advice, I've ordered a bottle of Tru-Oil off the net and I'll have a go with that for starters.
Is it totally necessary to buff the neck with fine grade wire wool afterwards? That's what I've read.

I never have....

I think it depends on how thick the oil coats are. If you rub in properly, there shouldnt be a need for wire wool. I have an oiled neck and do give a clean, scuff and recoat every year or so, but literally just a couple of Truoil coats rubbed right in and left to dry. Rub down with a clean rag to and start playing again @proggy

proggy

charlola said:

paulnb57 said:

proggy said:

Thanks for all your advice, I've ordered a bottle of Tru-Oil off the net and I'll have a go with that for starters.
Is it totally necessary to buff the neck with fine grade wire wool afterwards? That's what I've read.

I never have....

I think it depends on how thick the oil coats are. If you rub in properly, there shouldnt be a need for wire wool. I have an oiled neck and do give a clean, scuff and recoat every year or so, but literally just a couple of Truoil coats rubbed right in and left to dry. Rub down with a clean rag to and start playing again @proggy

Thanks for the tip @charlola

Kalimna

@Roland ;- I have used PolyX for a variety of wood finishing roles, but have never tinted it. What would you recommend for the colourant? Any spirit based stain, or do you need something specific?

Cheers,

Adam

Roland

I don’t really know Adam. My comment was about it not colouring the wood as much as Tru-Oil, meaning that you can get a really light coloured maple neck. My only experience has been using PolyX as a medium for oil paint pigments to give opaque finished for childrens’ toys. I guess any oil based pigment would work, even woodstain.

Kalimna

Ah, OK. Thanks for the reply - I suspect that, like all finish queries, testing, testing, and more testing is the way to go then. I have a couple of spirit based stains so will try those.

Cheers,

Adam